The Ministry of Housing has unveiled a new standard tenancy agreement template which will stop landlords from issuing blanket bans on renters with pets for no good reason.
New rules mean landlords can no longer automatically ban tenants from having pets in their property.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced new guidelines around common household pets, bringing the UK one step closer to banning landlords from refusing tenants with animals.
The move marks a breakthrough for many tenants who currently face eviction for bringing animals into their home.
Currently, just 7% of private landlords advertise pet friendly properties, the government said, meaning many people struggle to find suitable homes.
In some cases, this has meant tenants have had to give up their pets all together.
However, the Ministry of Housing has now introduced a new standard tenancy agreement template which is the recommended contract that landlords should use.
Under the new Model Tenancy Agreement, landlords will no longer be able to issue blanket bans on pets.
Instead, consent for pets will be the default position and landlords will have to object in writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant and provide a good reason.
It hopes to put a stop landlords who issue blanket bans on pets without good reason.
The new rules mean that landlords who object will have to do so writing within 28 days of a written pet request from a tenant.
They'll also have to provide a valid reason, such as the property size or surrounding issues, such as a block of flats where owning a pet could be impractical.
Housing minister Christopher Pincher said: "It can't be right that only a tiny fraction of landlords advertise pet friendly properties and in some cases people have had to give up their beloved pets in order to find somewhere to live.
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